Laundry marking and assorting apparatus



Dec. 15, 1931. J. M B. GARVEY LAUNDRY MARKING AND ASSORTING APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATT Dec. 15, 1931. J. MOB. GARVEY 1,836,113

LAUNDRY MARKING AND ASSORTING APPARATUS Filed May 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INvENTgdR ATTO EYS Patented Dec. 15, 1931 Application filed, May 18,

'sald number. After the laundering of said pieces of worlgduring whichtime they'are intermingled with the pieces of work of other customers, they are brought to'an assorting room where the pieces of laundry of each customer are again brought'together, the marker on each piece of laundry enabling this work to be accomplished.

e general object of the present invention is the provision of improved apparatus i'or mark'ng and assorting laundry work, which apparatus embodies mechanism for-easily and conveniently applying a suitable identifying marker to each piece of 'lau-ndrywork for enabling the asserting of the laundry work to be easily and'quickly effected.

. Further. objects of the invention are in part obvious and inpart will appear more'in detail hereinafteri In the drawings, which represent onesuit able-embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a stapling machine for applying the identifying marker's to the. pieces of laundry work Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail side view of the stapling head and frame member showing parts in vertical section; Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal view partly in plan and partly in section taken just above the anvil and guides for the tagmoving mechanism; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line'H, 1 and 2 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an assorting mechanism which'may CINCINNATI, OHIO, A oonronnrion or LAU DRY Maxine nn asson'rine 'nrrAnArus 1928. Serial 'No. 278,769.

be used in connection with tag applying mechanism; Fig.6 is across sectional view of sa d assorting apparatus Fig. 8;'F1g. 7 isa 7-7, Flg. 5; F1g.

on the line 6 6, similar view on 'thelin'e ,7 81is a detail sectional view on the line 88, Fig. 5;"Fig. 9" is a perspective view of one of the identifying markers having a piece of laundry attached thereto; and Fig.

i 10 is a bottom plan'yiew i of the forward end of the a'ssorting mocha:

nism shown in Fig.- 5, the view-being taken in the directionof the arrow D ofFigr5. Th

emarking and assorting means" includes a plurality of groups orseriesioflaundry identifying markers, there being any desired number of markers in each group or "series, say fifty, with the markers of each group or series of slightly diflerent shape and hearing a different number from the markers of the othergroups or series. A suitable magazine or holder is provided for the markerso'f each group or series, and each holder or mag azine is so constructed that it will receive,

own group or series and not those of any othergroup or serles. Each the markers of its holder or magazine is, of c'ourse, given the same identlfymg number as the WhlCl'l fit said holder or magazine.

In the present embodiment of the invention each magazine or' holder is of rectangular" and comprises a top wall l, side walls 2 form and'two bottom flanges 3 which extendfup- "i markers wardly and inwardly from the'base 'offeach sidewall. Said flanges do notgengagefeach other but .a slot 4 is provided therebetween, as clearly indicated in Figs-6 and Thetwo ends of each holder or magazine are closedby suitable wall members 5 and 6, each of which is provided with rearwardly extending flange portions 7 for suitable securement to the side walls 2. The front wallmember orplate5-is larger than the V member 6 .and its flanges f7 engage the outer walls of the magazine or,

inner sur holder. Suitably attachedto the face of the top wall of each holder or magagrll' zine is a longitudinally extending spline 8, determining whether the holder is full and and the splines of the several holders or if not, just how many tags. are missing magazines are of different shape or are ar- The holder is still further provided at its ranged in different locations on the inner surouter or front end just back of the plate 5 5 face of the top walls of the holders. with an. opening 26 extending across the .m The identifying markers are formed from holder and of a width corresponding to the flat metal stock and remain in flat form width of the marker and for'use in dischargwithout face projections of any kind. Each ing the markers from the rack or holder when marker is provided in its upper edge with a applying them to the articles, as will'appear. suitable recess or cut-out portion 10 to re- The holders and tags thus far described 75 ceive or fit the spline '8 of one holder or magaare also capableof being used with a tag ap-' zi ne,'and is provided in its two side edges plying apparatus and this apparatus, genwlth inwardly and upwardly extending slots erallyspeaking, is in'the form of a stapling .11 to receive the correspondingly bent flangesv machine of any preferred type,. such ma- 7 .3 ofsaid holder or niagazine and move freely chines. being available on the market. One 80 along in the slot 4:. Each marker is also pr oof these machines is shown in Fig. land it vided near the bottom edge thereof withtwo comprises asuitable frame 27. supporting a spaced holes 12 adapted to receive a staple 13 motor 28 drivingthrough a belt 29 a suitable by means of which said marker is secured to clutch 80 of any preferred type adapted for a piece of laundry work, as will later appear. actuation by a rod 31 provided with a clevis g5 The bottom flanges '3 of each holder or and actuating the clutch to operate the magazine terminate a slight distance-from stapling mechanism. The stapling'mechathe front wall 5, sons to provide a passageway nlsm is not shown in this case because it forms 15' upwardly through which a marker may be no part of the invention; it vbeing suflicient inserted into a holder or magazine. If a that the machine will apply staples at the ly'through the holder passageway 15 a suifistapling machine.

I marker is inserted into the wrong holder-or point'indicated at 36. The staples applied a magazine the marker recess 10 will not rethis point will have their side prongs 13, ceive the holder spline 8, so that the marker Fig. 1, bent over by the-anvil indicated at 37, will be prevented from being passed upward such anvils'being old and part of the normal cient amount to' enable the marker slots 11 Thefnovel equipment applied to this stato receive the holder flanges 3 and will therepling machine is the means for supporting the fore be unsupported and remain in the hand holders and for feeding-the tags therefrom of the operator. The operator-then examines and in this arrangementthe anvil 37' is con- 3 the tag and seeks out the proper holder 'to tinued'back' in the form of a supporting bed 100 which it belongs when itmay be inserted 38 supported by a suitable bracket 39secured freely through the opening 15 and moved to to the frame. Mounted on the rear end of this the rear and be supported. If operators bed 38 are upper spaced slide guides 40 adaptshould insert a tag into the slot 4 at the boted to receive andguide a slide 41 provided tom of "the holder at a point other than the with a pair of slide fingers 42 spaced apart 1 opening 15,- and attempt to twist it into the and adapted, as will appear, to move a tag supporting position, the sides of the tag will from the holder to the position indicated in engage the flanges 5 and the entrance of these dotted lines in Fig. 3, againsta forward stop flanges in the slot 11 will be impossible. Plate Secured in from? 0f the l P 45 At a suitable point on a wall or other simi n 37 and with the holes 2 of h g in p 110 ilar support are a lurality f h ld upsition' below the prongs of the staple so that ports each comprising a faceplate 16a d n when an article is placed above the tag inthis outwardly projecting boss 1'? having a core p sition t e s aple'may be'applied through 18 telescopes nicely into thgrear end the aft/1016 and through the as 18 ll'ldlatQd oftheholderq 1, and against the flanges 7 of in g- POSi'tiOn in thi figure being 11:

the rear plate 6. The upper wall of the holdone befqrethe Staple actually pp er-is also provided with a suitableopening The a i along the Plate 38 on '19 adapted'to' receive the nose 20 of spring to h alnvllportlon 37 by means f guides latch 21 mounted in suitable ears 22 forming f l fi m l respects to h Shde guldes apart of the plate 16. A' suitable spring 23 g' f:i i?h l;?id2t f 2:12 124 fze s move'thls latch mtg laftchmg 'f'ment with side edges? Motion istifans- Ehch holder is further provided. with E gag to 6 7 athnk g g e loirigitudiml v we o i side- Walls to all 331135. iii twiali isftlii elorm rearran e t rs a v ielsrerace o e 111 the holder. If desired the edge of the s de rear, but: when straightened, move the slide wall at this opening may be provided with forward and present the tag to its forward pk suitable graduations 25 hi h ill assist in position underthe staplingmechanisms The 11 link 47 is made in two parts and one is pro vided with a suitable pin 49 receiving a swivel block 50 through which an actuating rod 51 passes. This rod is surrounded by a spring 52 and is provided with a fixed collar 53 confining the spring between it and the swivel block 50 and therefore resulting in a pull upward upon the rod. The lower end of this rod is secured at 54 to the treadle 35.

Secured to a suitable bracket 56 back of the front head of the machine is a plunger cylinder 57 carrying a plunger 58 pressed down ward by a spring 59. This plunger projects through the top of the cylinder and is there provided with a head 59' adapted for engagement by an arm 60 of a hand lever 61. The lower end of this plug or block 62 adapted to fit in the end of the holder 1 and of the rear plate 6. The opposite or'front plate 5 of the holder is suitable recess 63 formed in the bed 38 and the arrangement is such that the opening 26 in the top front end of the holder is presented in horizontal alignment with the fin- V gers 42.

When the stapling machine is to be used on a lot of laundry work, the operator finds the proper holder with the ing ta s therein and places it with the front end pl ate 5 in the socket-or recess 63 with the tag portions having the openings 12 toward the front of the machine. He then raises the plunger 58 by manipulating the hand lever 61 and causes the block 62 to en gage in the upper or rear end of the holder when it will be firmly held in place. He is now ready to apply the tags to the articles. This is accomplished by placing an article in place above the anvil portion 37 and depressin g the foot treadle until a tag is brought forward to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3. This may be done before or after the article is placed above the anvil portion 37 of the bed38. Further depression upon the treadle, after the tag has been brought in place, causes the clutch to be operated and the stapling mechanism to be set in operation when a staple will be applied to the article. It is quite obvious that when the tag reaches its stopping point at the forward part of the machine, the treadle may be depressed to operate the clutch by reason of the lost motion provided in the spring serving to hold the tag position.

lVhen the articles have been treated in the laundering or other process, the staples are removed by any suitable means and the articles loaded into a suitable container identified by other means for holding them together as a lot or group.

What I claim is: I

A tag applying machine comprising a staple inserting mechanism having a work 52, this spring also firmly in its forward plunger carries a suitable engaging the flanges 7 of adapted to seat in a proper identifysupport carrying an anvil and provided with through which tags may be fed to I ing block vfor engaging-the'rear end 0 said tag holder,. and means for feeding tags throughsaid guideway.

,'In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature,

JAMES MoBRAY-ER GARVEY.

guideway, means for clampingsaid tag holder. down against said support,- including a ield-; 

